The defence The Arthouse Gremlin
“Its refusal to behave is the point.”
The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.
Back to trending 
The Devil's Backbone
Fantasy · Drama · Horror · 2001
Spain, 1939. In the last days of the Spanish Civil War, the young Carlos arrives at the Santa Lucía orphanage, where he will make friends and enemies as he follows the quiet footsteps of a mysterious presence eager for revenge.
Movie details
The Devil's Backbone
“What is a ghost?”
2001 Fantasy · Drama · Horror 1h 48m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
7.3 / 10
Community rating
Spain, 1939. In the last days of the Spanish Civil War, the young Carlos arrives at the Santa Lucía orphanage, where he will make friends and enemies as he follows the quiet footsteps of a mysterious presence eager for revenge.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over The Devil's Backbone?
For the defence
The Arthouse Gremlin
“The stranger, the better.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
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Piggy
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32 Malasana Street
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Before I Wake
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An orphaned child's dreams—and nightmares—manifest physically as he sleeps.
Sister Death
Drama · 2023
Spain, 1949. Narcisa, a novice, arrives at an old convent, converted into a girls' school, to work as a teacher.
Goodbye
Drama · 2019
Seville, Spain. Juan Santos, a convicted petty criminal, gets out of jail for a day to celebrate with Triana, his wife, the first communion of their daughter Estrella.
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Guillermo del Toro
Written by
Guillermo del Toro · David Muñoz · Antonio Trashorras
Marisa Paredes
Carmen
Eduardo Noriega
Jacinto
Federico Luppi
Dr. Casares
Fernando Tielve
Carlos
Íñigo Garcés
Jaime
Irene Visedo
Conchita
José Manuel Lorenzo
Marcelo
Court is in session
Put The Devil's Backbone on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Oddness is not depth.”
A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.